Formaldehyde-generator.



No. 666,I04. l Patented lan. I5, |90I.

R. P. KUHN;y FoRMALDEHYD'GENERAIon.

(No Models) me Nonms P: Tammo.. wAsnmGTuN, o. c.

NITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE..

RICHARD P. KUHN, OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE KUHN FORMALDEHYDE` GENERATOR, COMPANY,l OF VIRGINIA.

FoRMALDEHYDE-GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 666,104, dated January 15, 1901. Appiimion tied october 1, 1900. sel-m1 No. 314,701. da moda.)

To @ZZ whom it may @0W/@W711i that pass up through the diaphragm and Be it known that I, RICHARD P. KUHN, retransposing the same into a formaldehyde siding at Alexandria, in the `county of AleX- Without materially increasing the heated conandria and State of Virginia, have invented ditionsof the oXidiZing-chamberor the danger 55 5 certain new and useful Improvements in Forof creating combustion, said results in my maldehyde-Generators, of which the followpresent invention being secured by combining is a specification. ing with the fibrous or heat-holding oxidiz- This invention relates to improvements in ing-diaphragm a second oxidizing member that type of formaldehyde-generating means formed of a metallic (iron) base with platin- 6o Io such as is generally disclosed in my Patents ized surfaces.

No. 599,849, dated March 1, 1898, and No. This invention also comprehendsinitscom- 652,482, dated June 26, 1900; and it more speplete make-up a novel cooperative arrangecifically relates to improvements in the form ment of the conical brous platinized diaof generator shown in my Patent No. 652,482, phragm with a platinized metallic mesh and 65 15 aforesaid, and that form shown in my coa draft-cone, the latter servinga triple funcpending application, Serial No. 21,209, filed tion: first, as a means for throwing back June 22, 1900. against the platinized surfaces a bulk of the My present invention primarily has for its fumes that pass up through and over the mepurpose to provide an improved cooperative tallic platinized surfaces to positively trans- 7o zo arrangement of the conical. diaphragm, the form such portions of the fumes as may have burner-pan, and the air-inlets whereby a escaped oxidation; secondly', to serve as a greater oxidation of the alcoholic fumes is draft-cone for centering the 11p-take of all of obtainable than has heretofore been possible the fumes, and, third, as a deflector to prevent with the forms of oxidizing-chambers shown any back draft that may enter through the 75 z5 in my other patents aforesaid and whereby top of the oxidizing-chamber and retardinga the fumes from the pan will be caused to conproper and uniform outflow of the formaldecentrate toward the center of the diaphragm hyde. and the danger of portions thereof leaking or In its more subordinate features my presescaping through the air-inlets and prernaent invention consists in certain details of 8o 3o turely mixing with the air and escaping construction and novelarrangement of parts, through the diaphragm before proper oxidaall of Which Willhereinafter be fullydescribed, tion thereof has been effected is overcome and specifically pointed'out in the appended said arrangement of the conical disk, the claims, reference beinghad to the accompanyburner-pan, and the air-inlets being such that` ing drawings, in which-- 85 55 the radiant heat-rays from the diaphragm Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im- Will be caused to the more fiercely engage with proved formaldehyde-generator. Fig. 2 is a the concentrated fumes from the burner and vertical section of the same, the parts being a more quick and positive absorption of such .shown in their operative or generating posifumes effected prior to their commingling` tion. Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating the 9o 4o with the oxygen, which enters the oxidizingspecific correlation of the conical diaphragm,

chamber through the inlets under the dia-A theburner-pan, andthe air-inlets, the direcphragm, said fumes byreason Aof their intion of movement of the fumes and the raditensely-heated condition prior to their comating heat-rays from the diaphragm being dimingling with the air-currents being` greatly Aagrammatically illustrated. Fig. 4 is a sec- 95 45 induced by such air-currents to pass up in a tion taken practically on the line 4 4 of Fig. compact volume under the diaphragm before 2, the oxidizing-chamber being shown swung being diffused by direct contact therewith. to one side and the mufer-plate resting upon Another object of my present invention is the burner-pan. Fig. 5 is a detail view illusto provide additional means for increasing trating diagrammatically the correlation of roo 5o the efficiency of the generator, particularly the fibrous disk and the conical metallic for arresting any of the non-oxidized fumes platinized Wire disk hereinafter referred to.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a suitable iron base having an annular rim la, which forms the supporting-ledge for the water-pan 2, iu which is held the burner-pan 3, said pan haviuga pendent annular perforated rim 3 to allow the water to circulate under the pan as Well as around the sides thereof.

The easing 4 is made of sheet metal, has a cylindrical shape, and is of such diameter that its lower edge will iit down into the water-pan and surround the burner-pan when the parts are in their operative or generating position, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The casing 4 is held for vertical movement and to swing in a horizontal plane when its entire lower edge is raised in a plane above the base l and the burner-pan, and for such purpose said casing hasa solid external member 5, vertically apertured to slidably fit on the standard or rod 6, secured at its lower end to the base 1, said rod forming the fulcrum-point from which the casing is adapted to be swung laterally to uncover the burner- 'pan, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. The purpose of mounting the casing 4 to rise in a vertical plane and swing laterally is to permit aquick muftling of the iiame for heating the catalytic or platinized surfaces after they have been sufficiently heated. To effect such result, the casing is lifted until its lower edge is in a plane above the pan and sufliciently elevated to permit the insertion ot' the muierplate 6i (shown in Fig. 1) over the pan to choke the flame. (See Fig. 4.)

One of the advantages of supporting the casing in the manner shown and described is that the said casing can be swung partly or wholly from over the pan when it is desired to iill the burner-pan and the water-pan, and whilethe pans are being filled the casing can be lowered so its bottom edge will rest upon the base l.

5fL designates a cast-metal skeleton top de- 'tachably joined to theupper end of the casing by screws or otherwise, said t'op havinga suitable ornamental handle, as shown.

The peculiar construction of the base, the

cylindrical casing with its top, the general' arrangement of the burner-.pan and waterpan, and the manner of supporting the casing 'so that it can be raised vertically and swung laterally form perse no part of my present invvention, as they are fully shown, described, 'and claimed in my copending application hereinbefore referred to. The general correlation ot'- the burner-pan 3, the conical platin-` ized or main oxidizing-diaphragm 7, and the` air-inlets 8 in the present case is also like that shown '1n my copending application', thek differentiating feature in the present case being in the detailed formation of the upper surface of the burner and the relative arrangementof the angles or pitch of the under oxidizing-surface of the'diaphragm 7 and' the air-inlets jointly with the u pper surface of thev burner. To clearly distinguish the said differentiating features, it should be stated that in my other application and the patent re-v ferred to the upper surface or mesh of Jthe burner-.is fiat-that is, the samelies in a substantially horizontal plane. In practical use I have found that byl reason of such fiat surface the fumes from the pan pass up insubstantially vertical lines, and by reason thereof a portion of the fumes would frequently leak out through the air-inlets before being oxidized and other portions thereof, especiall57 near the walls of the casing, would com mingle with the ai r-currents, escape the direct radiating-rays from the conical diaphragm, and pass up through the said diaphragm through the apertures near the peripheral edge thereof and he but partially oxidized or transformed into formaldic gases, producing,4 as it were,.a great waste, and thereby failing to effect all the results desired. To overcomethis defect vand to render the generator one of increased efficiency and more economical in its generatvi-ng action, I have found from practical experiment that by making the upper'or meshed surface of the burner concaved or dished, as indicated by 3c, the fumes therefrom will pass upward convergingly, as illustrated in Fig. 4,

toward the center or apex point of the diaphragm 7, be thereby kept away from the walls of the casingand brought in a more compact volu me in the direct lines of radiation from the diaphragm, and to further increase the concentration of the fumes, and also for creating a quicker transformation ofthe same to formaldehyde, I combine the'said pan, the conical diaphragm, and the air-inlets 8in such t manner that the radiating heat-lines from the diaphragm will engage the fumes before they pass up into the zone of the air-currents, as shownby the arrows in Fig. 3, the contactpoint being indicated by the line X X. By thus concentrating the fumes from the burner they are subjected to a more fierce heat by reason of the concentration of the rays from the diaphragm on the concentrated fumes, and, furthermore, by reason of an increased induction created thereby, which causes the air to be drawn inward toward the center of the diaphragmV to the more thoroughly intermiX with the fumes, the intermiXed products will be the more-thoroughly diffused over the oxidizing-surface.

While the correlation of the diaphragm and concaved pan has been found to greatly increase the efficiency of the generator, I have vprovided supplemental means for positively obtaining a maximum transformation of the fumes that pass from the pan. For this-purpose I provide a supplemental oxidizing member in the nature of'a wire screen having its surfaces platinized. This platinized metallic screen is placed above the fibrous or main oxidizing-disk 7 and is preferably in the nature of a conical hood, (indicated by lO in lFigs. 2 and 5,) whereby it can be readily fitted 'upon the top of the said disk .7, as clearly lshown in Fig. 2.

lic platinized-wire'oxidizing member may be If desired, the said metal- IOO IIO

' member arranged in any manner that will serve to absorb or breakup the fumes that pass through the disk 7 not entirely transformed into formaldehyde. I have discovered that the supplemental oxidizing member effects the best and most desirable results when made of iron Wire platinized, for the reason that such form is very economical, and more particularly said supplemental ozidizin g-su rface will effectively serve to transform Whatever fumes escape the main diaphragm Without appreciably increasing the heat within the oxidizing-chamber, thereby avoiding danger of combustion, which is incident in' the use of a number of diaphragms made up of fibrous or other heat-absorbing material.

In the use of my other type of generators referred to it sometimes happens that by tilting the same or from other causes a back draft through the topoccurs, Which not alone interferes with a proper transformation of the fumes, but tends to blow out the partially-oxidized gases. This I now prevent by fitting a draft-cone 12 in the top of the casing. The lower edge of the cone l2 has a diameter slightly greater than that of the cylinder 4, so that When slipped down into the said cylinder said lower edge Will spring into engagement with and seat the groove Xin the casing, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. To further provide for positively transforming all of the fumes that pass up from the diaphragms 7 and 10, additional platinized-Wire screens 10a, 10b, and 1()c are fitted Within the cone l2, which forms .the supporting member for the said screens 10, 10b, and 10. The cone l2 effectively retards any back draft that may enter in the top of the casing from passing down into the said casing and interferring with a proper transforming action of the disks, said cone also serving to concentrate the fumes as they pass up against the several screens 10a, 10b, and 10c, and thereby transform any particle of the fumes that may leave the main disks 7 and l0 not Wholly oxidized or transformed into formaldehyde.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a formaldehyde-generator of the character described, the combination with the generating-chamber having an escape at the top, the burner at the bottom of the said chamber, and a platinized fibrous diaphragm in the said compartment; of a supplemental diaphragm, composed of a metal body having its outer surfaces only platinized, said supplemental diaphragm being disposed over the fibrous diaphragm and adapted to intercept the non transformed fumes that escape through the fibrous diaphragm, for the purposes specified.

2. In a formaldehyde-generator ofthe character described the combination with the casing, and the conical fibrous diaphragm held therein; of a cone of platinized metallic surfaces disposed above the said diaphragm and detachably held upon the fibrous cone, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a formaldehyde-generator of the character described, the combination with the casing and the conical fibrous diaphragm; of a cone of platinized metallic surfaces disposed above the said diaphragm and a draft-cone disposed above the said metallic surfaces, for the purposes described.

4. In a formaldehyde-generating means of the character described, an oxidizing-diaphragm consisting of an iron Wire having its surfaces platinized, for the purposes de-V Witnesses:

FRED G. DIETERICH, LoUIs DIETERICH. 

